Cry For Help
by amy9352
Summary: Just when Paul thought he'd lost everything, the least likely person comes along to help him pick up the pieces. Maybe he'll even end up with a future he never dreamed of having, but getting there won't be easy. Started with Tricky Raven's summer drabble challenge. Picture prompt cherry ice cubes.
1. Chapter 1

**Author: amy9252**

**Pairing: Bella/Paul**

**Rating: Mature**

**Genre: Angst/Romance**

**Warning: Drug use!**

**Summary: **Just when Paul thought he'd lost everything, the least likely person comes along to help him pick up the pieces. Maybe he'll even end up with a future he never dreamed of having, but getting there won't be easy. Started with Tricky Raven's summer drabble challenge. Picture prompt = cherry ice cubes.

**A/N: Not really sure what I'm doing with this fic yet. It started as an O/S, but then I decided to add another chapter to show what led Paul to where he is now. I'm going to call it a two-shot for now, but I have written quite a bit more to go with it - nothing that's ready to be posted and not even sure that I will continue it. I would like to finish I'm Yours before starting anything else, but for some reason, it's not speaking to me right now and this one is. If I do continue, this will be a drabble fic and the end pairing will be Bella/Paul. Hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear your thoughts :)**

As he sat upstairs, alone, feeling the bass pulsing through the floor beneath his feet, with his heart pounding and his blood racing through his veins, he blamed her. He blamed her for everything – for his heartache, for losing everything that mattered, and for the man he'd become. He wouldn't take any credit for that. No, she deserved every bit of recognition – It was her that created this monster, after all.

He wanted her to hurt like he was hurting. And he hoped she felt the same pain with every thrust he made between some nameless woman's open thighs. One more line and he could fuck all night. A humorless laugh escaped him as he brought the powder to his nose and inhaled quickly.

Pathetic really, he knew that, but it was true regardless – He got some kind of sick satisfaction in thinking that his sexual activity caused her some form of discomfort.

It wasn't that Rachel was all that special – she'd always been a pretty selfish bitch – first walking out on her family, leaving a young Jacob behind to care for his father, but she had given him a small taste of what life could be like. What a family was like. Paul had never had that before.

As he stood up, going to rejoin the party downstairs, the door swung open.

"Bella Swan." He called, his words slightly slurred. "What are you doing here?" He asked and for a brief, lucid moment, he was pissed off that she would be in a place like this. This wasn't the type of party for a girl like her.

"I came with Jake." She answered, walking further into the room.

He'd have to deal with that later because he was too fucked up right now to try to explain why she shouldn't be here. To prove his point, he stumbled slightly.

"Come on. Let's get you home." She stated softly, moving to wrap her arm around his waist. No questions. No judgment. Just a kind heart and helping hand.

This wasn't the first time she'd taken care of him – it was one of many. _Why couldn't he have ended up with somebody like her? _Fuck, who was he trying to fool. A girl like Bella Swan would never be interested in the likes of him. She was way too fucking good for a loser like him.

She was his forbidden fruit – the one he wouldn't dare touch. Soiled was the perfect word to describe himself and he would never contaminate her with his filth. So many drugs tainted his blood and his cock had been dipped in more pussy than he could count – didn't want to – some he was too high to even remember.

As far as Paul knew, Bella had never been touched by anyone. She was pure – something Paul wouldn't know anything about. All he could hope for was whoever popped her cherry would be worthy – unlike him. He'd probably kill the motherfucker if he wasn't good to her. She deserved the best.

"You deserve the best too, Paul." He must have spoken his thoughts, he realized, but her words caused his heart to skip a beat.

**Not sure about this one, but it's what came to mind. This is the first time I've tried something angsty so I hope it's ok. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: **Just when Paul thought he'd lost everything, the least likely person comes along to help him pick up the pieces. Maybe he'll even end up with a future he never dreamed of having, but getting there won't be easy. Started with Tricky Raven's summer drabble challenge. Picture prompt = cherry ice cubes.

**Six months earlier...**

"What the...?" Paul yelled, but his words were cut off by Rachel scrambling from the bed, wrapping a sheet around her body and snatching up articles of clothing as she ran to the bathroom.

He was left looking down at the naked body of his best friend – cock still semi-hard, but deflating rapidly.

"Get up." Paul whispered, an eery calmness to his voice.

"Paul, let us explain. We..." He didn't get a chance to finish.

"**Get up!**" Paul bellowed. "Get the fuck out of my bed."

Everything went to hell then. Once Jared was on his feet, Paul had him pinned to the wall by his throat, his feet dangling several inches above the floor. Paul could hear Rachel's panicked screams in the background, but he was far too consumed with rage to care.

"You were supposed to be my best fucking friend, Jared." Paul roared, tightening his grip before delivering a jaw breaking blow to his face.

In the end, it had been Bella Swan who had talked him into releasing Jared – with soft pleas of '_calm down', 'he's not worth it',_ and _'you're better than this'._ She had heard the screams when passing by on her way to the Black's home. By the time she arrived, Paul had beaten Jared within an inch of his life and he had no doubt that things would have turned out much worse for him had she not.

His best friend lay cowering in the corner, his arms folded over his head for protection, bloodied and bruised from Paul's hands. Regardless of the fact that Jared's actions were unforgivable, Paul knew it hadn't been a fair fight. Jared had yet to join the pack. And Paul felt ashamed, but not enough to stop the anger and resentment he felt the moment Rachel knelt beside another man in a show of comfort. Without so much as an acknowledgment in Paul's direction, she began fretting over him, cleaning his wounds and speaking softly into his ear.

No apology. No explanation. Barely a glance when his fist connected with the wall – the drywall crumbling to dust and leaving a large hole behind.

That's when Bella ushered him from the room, escorting him to his kitchen where she began washing the blood from his hands followed by an icepack to his knuckles, watching him quietly as she worked. His body was still trembling with fury, his muscles twitching and his jaw locked tight.

"Stay here. I'll be back. I'm just going to see if Rachel needs any help getting him out of the house." She said quietly, once she was finished, her eyes moving across his face looking for a reaction.

Paul could see the questions dancing in her eyes. She wanted to know if he would be okay alone for a few minutes and if he thought she was betraying him by offering them her help. He understood that she was doing it for his own benefit and managed a small nod before reaching into his cabinet searching for something to take the edge off.

In that quiet way of hers, she was letting him know she was on his side.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Okay, so here's another chapter! Have to say a HUGE thank you to MP aka Iamtwilightobsessed for prereading this chapter and to Breanna for her awesome beta skills. Both of these ladies made it much better than it was when they got their hands on it! And another big thank you to the readers for encouraging me to continue this story. I still get nervous and jittery every time I post something and your comments seriously help with that! **

***This is a repost of this chapter. The chapter I posted last night was one without corrections. Don't know what happened.***

**Chapter Three**

"Son of a bitch. What the fuck did he do to him?" Paul heard Jake's voice coming from the bedroom.

"He's a fucking asshole, Jake. I can't believe I thought he had changed," Rachel declared, causing the Jack Daniels bottle Paul was holding to shatter beneath the strength of his grip. "He almost killed him."

"Rach," Jake sounded frustrated. "Just go to the house and wait for us."

"But, Jake..." She started to argue, but was interrupted by Bella's sweet voice.

"Come on, Rachel. We need to start getting a room ready before they get there."

"What are we gonna do? We can't take him to the hospital. He's burning up." Embry's voice cut in.

Jake and Embry had shown up after a phone call from Bella and an unsuccessful attempt from the two girls – She and Rachel were unable to lift him by themselves, and Paul wasn't about to offer his help.

"Let's just get him to my house and I'll get Sue to check him out," Jake replied with a grunt as they lifted him from the floor. "We'll figure it out from there."

Paul watched Bella lead Rachel out of the door, followed soon after by Jake and Embry, carrying an injured Jared. Jake turned as he exited, giving him a look of sympathy, to which Paul replied with a quick shake of his head. Now wasn't the time, and the last thing he wanted was for people to feel sorry for him.

There would be plenty of time for talking in the coming days; but right now, Paul wanted to be alone. He wanted to break something and he needed to rid his house of a few things – starting with that fucking bed. It smelled as if it were soaking in their infidelity.

It was a scent he had smelled several times before, but didn't put two and two together. How he had missed it, he had not a single clue. The only thing he could figure was that it was common practice for Jared to visit his home, so he never thought to question why his best friend's scent inhabited the space. And Paul and Rachel had always had a fairly healthy sex life. At least until recently. Now he understood the renewed scent of sweat and other bodily fluids.

It was that thought that sent Rachel's favorite set of china crashing to the floor. It had once belonged to her mother, Sarah, before she died in a car crash years ago. He would feel like shit about it later, but not now. Because at the present time, he couldn't bring himself to give a fuck.

Before his thoughts could take him any lower, he made a quick run to the store for supplies; beer, cigarettes and gasoline.

**Thoughts?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Again, I want to thank everybody for their encouraging feedback! And MP and Breanna for making this much better than it would be.**

***I had to repost chapter 3 if you want to give it another look. I accidentally posted the one without corrections last night. The right one is up now."**

**Chapter Four**

It was dark out by the time they had got Jared settled and he was resting comfortably. After she closed the door behind her, Bella set out to follow the gravel road that led to the beach, where Paul's cabin sat nestled on a small cliff overlooking the ocean. She had always thought it was the most beautiful place on the Rez. The dense forest that spanned the perimeter behind his house provided privacy, while the sea provided the illusion of a never ending openness.

As she walked, the light breeze carried the smell of burning wood to her nose. It was a familiar scent that reminded her of fall and winter, family, and holidays. But the closer she got to Paul's house, the heavier the smoke became, bringing with it a sense of panic and a burning of her lungs with every inhalation. Fear quickened her stride, and by the time she reached the edge of his yard, she was nearly sprinting.

Spotting Paul sitting on the ground next to a roaring fire, she finally relaxed - bending at the waist, hands on her thighs, panting, trying to catch her breath.

"They send you to come check up on me?" Paul asked, lifting his head from his arms where they rested atop his knees. He glanced back over his shoulder to look at her.

Of course he knew she was there. He had probably both smelled and heard her arrival. She hadn't exactly been quiet in her approach, with her heavy breathing, reminiscent to a marathoner just after completing a 5K.

"Aren't you supposed to do this down on the beach?" She asked instead, referring to the massive bonfire he had decided to have on his front lawn.

"This place is as good as any, don't you think?" He replied, lifting his beer to his lips and taking a long pull before lowering the bottle back down. "And _here_, I don't have to risk running into anybody." He stared into the flames as she took a seat next to him.

"No, they didn't send me. I was worried about you," She stated, in answer to his earlier question, bumping his shoulder lightly with hers."Wanted to make sure you were okay."

Paul snorted a small, humorless laugh and reached for his cigarettes and another beer, extending an arm towards her in offering. Bella declined with a small shake of her head. Leaning back on her hands with her arms stretched behind her, she stared up at the peaceful night sky, where the clouds had separated enough to provide her a small glimpse of the stars above.

She stayed silent, not bringing up Rachel or Jared. She was just _there, _hoping to provide any little consolation her presence may bring.

**Would love to hear your thoughts!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! Thank you all for reading and for your kind words. The response to this story just amazes me. And thank you MP and Breanna for making this readable.**

**Chapter Five**

_Heat._

That's what Bella had been dreaming about as she awoke to find Paul curled up behind her, his thick arm wrapped securely around her waist, weighing her down with it's heaviness. Adding to the warmth, his jacket was draped over her upper body, serving as a makeshift blanket. She was warm. Too warm. The last thing she remembered was both of them lying silently on the ground as the fire died down, listening as the crickets sang a perfect bedtime lullaby.

"Paul," She called, shaking the arm that was circling her midsection. "Paul."

"Oh. Uh. Shit." He sat up, rubbing his hand down his face, trying to wake himself up. "Sorry. I thought you might be cold," He mumbled, obviously embarrassed about the cuddling.

"Yeah. Um." She looked around for the first time, taking in her surroundings. "Let me help you clean up some so you can get in the bed."

Paul's eyes darted to the low smoldering embers that Bella only now realized were the remains of the bed he and Rachel shared. Many other items were fortunate enough to be spared the flames, and instead, were scattered messily across the porch.

"I'll do it in the morning, it's late," he stated. "You should probably stay here. I'll take the couch and you can have the spare."

"Yeah. Sure," she answered. "I should probably call my dad."

Paul led her inside, showing her the guest room and leaving the cordless headset on the nightstand.

"Help yourself if you need something to sleep in. There should be plenty of t-shirts and sweats in the drawer," he nodded towards the dresser and then left to give her some privacy.

Luckily, by the time she emerged from the bedroom, after calling her dad and changing into something more comfortable, Paul was asleep on the couch. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy his company, but she couldn't help feeling a little awkward being here, considering that she and Paul weren't exactly friends.

Her plans for sleep were shot out the window as her eyes scanned the destruction of Paul's living room. It looked as if a tornado had ran an unrelenting path straight through it, and the kitchen seemed to have met the same fate. Pictures and their frames, dishes, nicknacks, all lay broken and shattered on the floor. Anything that once served as a memorial for a special moment between Paul and his imprint were now destroyed.

Bella couldn't imagine what he was going through, nor could she make it go away, but she was determined she could make things easier. She would do for him what Jake had done for her. Beginning with simply being there for him - letting him know he wasn't alone.

She wouldn't pretend that they had lost love in common when she knew Paul's despair was much more than that. Bella had once asked Jake why she had never met any of Paul's relatives. She could still remember the sorrowful look he'd given her when he responded, "He doesn't have any." This was proven as she sifted through the chaos, finding no pictures of his family, only Jared, Rachel, and the pack. And while he slept a few feet away, she allowed her tears to fall, her heart breaking as she witnessed proof of Paul's solitary life.

**Thoughts on this chapter?**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I took the advice of one of my readers for this chapter and stopped where it felt right, so it's longer than the others. I think it worked better for this chapter. Hope you enjoy! **

**A big thank you to MP for her great suggestions and feedback. So glad to have you as my pre-reader! And thank you to Breanna for her awesome beta skills. She really knows her stuff!**

**Chapter Six**

The morning sun filtered brightly through the windows, forcing Paul's eyes to open much sooner than he wanted. A quick inhale and a twitch of his ears picked up no other signs of life, letting him know that he was alone. As he surveyed the room, he noticed that the house was clean – all visible evidence of his tantrum from the day before, gone.

All of Rachel's belongings that he had thrown out were neatly boxed on his front porch, and a large bag of trash sat outside next to the garbage can. Paul didn't have a clue how Bella was capable of carrying it; it was considerably larger than her own petite frame. He allowed himself a small smile, as the image of an overstuffed trash bag with legs, walking itself across his lawn, crossed his mind. Amusement faded quickly, though, when he realized that she must have been up all night cleaning. For him.

Entering the kitchen, he pulled a box of cereal from the pantry and grabbed the milk from the fridge before sitting down at the table. That's where he found a small, folded sheet of paper with his name on it.

_I'm sorry if I've overstepped any boundaries. I was only trying to help._

_Bella_

_P.S._

_In case you were wondering, Jared is going to be okay._

Paul's breath rushed from his chest in relief. Somehow, she knew he would want to know without him asking.

"Fuck. Fuck.** Fuck, **Jared!" He stood - cereal forgotten – and began pacing his kitchen while running his fingers through his hair in agitation. "What were you thinking?" Paul yelled. He hoped Rachel gave it to him really fucking good, because he didn't want to believe that Jared would demolish a life long friendship over an average piece of ass.

The ringing of the telephone interrupted his rant. Jake was calling to tell him that an emergency pack meeting with the council had been called for later in the day. Everybody was concerned about how Paul would fare with the betrayal of his imprint. There was no mention of anything like this ever happening in their history books. It was supposed to be an unbreakable bond. Not even death could sever the ties that bound them together. A wolf losing his imprint would surely die soon after.

A lot of gasping and hushed whispers were heard when Paul explained that the imprint was, in fact, broken. They wanted to know how and when. However, neither question could be answered by Paul, who simply shrugged and stated, "Now that I think about it, I haven't felt that connection to Rachel for a while now."

It was the truth. He didn't know, but Paul suspected it was broken the instant Rachel had spread her legs for Jared. He even went on to admit that he had never felt for Rachel as profoundly as his pack brothers felt for their mates. Not wanting to hurt Rachel if she ever found out, he had been tight lipped about it until now. The faulty bond was not to be mistaken with not caring - because he did care for her. It just wasn't the _same._

When the incident with Jared was finally brought to their attention, Jake took over, rehashing the events from the day before. Luckily for Paul, Jared's impending phase was helping him to heal quickly – no long-term damage done. As Paul looked around, though, he could clearly see the look of disappointment written on each and every face. The wolves were expected to abstain from quarrelsome disputes with unmatched opponents, and he had let them down.

By the time Jake uttered his final word, Paul was done – tired of talking about it. If they wanted to continue this conversation, they would have to do it without his presence.

"You might want to jot that down in your history books, boys. When an imprint _fucks _her wolf's best friend, it destroys the bond," Paul sneered, followed by uproar among the Elders.

"**Paul! Stop!"** Jake's alpha voice boomed, preventing him from saying anything else. Disrespect was a transgression that was severely frowned upon during council meetings, but Paul had reached his breaking point. He was angry and embarrassed - his dirty laundry being aired for all to see.

Paul turned to leave, but stopped as he reached the door, turning towards Jacob with a cocky smirk. "You'll let Rachel know what we talked about today. Won't you, Jake?"

Jacob sighed and hung his head, frustrated and unsure about what to do to fix this shit storm his sister had created. He had only recently taken over the reigns as Alpha, and he was already wishing he had waited a little while longer. He had been up half the night listening to Rachel's theatrics concerning the fight between Paul and Jared and how it was everybody's fault, but hers. His sister was spoiled and immature, and would never concede to any wrongdoing on her part.

Paul took off, barely making it past the tree line before he phased, wanting nothing more than to clear his head and forget the mayhem of the last twenty four hours. Without a destination in mind, he ran.

Shape-shifters were built for running, to ensure they were able to catch their prey; and, in the off chance it was needed...to escape. With every forceful leap and bound through the forest, Paul's massive paws, topped with razor sharp claws, penetrated the mucky soil, kicking up sludge as he barreled past. His keen eyesight picked up obstacles long before he reached them, granting him to ability to dodge limbs and toppled trees.

The ground was with littered with dead, fallen leaves, blanketing the earth, as the first days of autumn swept in – carrying a chilly wind with it. With the near constant rain fall and the thick canopy of timber, the temperatures were crisper here than many places in the country. Paul loved this time of year - a brief respite between the heat of summer and the brutal cold of winter.

In that moment, Paul hated Rachel a little more, for ruining it for him, as he would surely remember her treachery every time the season rolled back around.

**Thanks for reading! Thoughts?**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Hey guys! Sorry for the delay in posting. I think something was conspiring against me getting this chapter posted. Lost a loved one and another had some health issues and then my computer froze up and I lost most of this chapter and had to rewrite it. But it is finally finished!

Not a lot of Paul this chapter. I hope that doesn't disappoint you, but I felt like it was needed for some background info. Hope you enjoy!

Thank you MP for prereading! No beta this chapter, so all mistakes are mine.

I always like when authors share their favorite fics, so I thought I would rec some of my own.

**Fic Recs:**

**The Alpha's Prerogative** by Taoist Elf. If you haven't read it, then I encourage you to do so. It's AMAZING and complete! A cheating Paul and a strong, yummy, Alpha Sam to clean up the mess. Bella/Sam pairing.

**The Devil You Know: **OMG! I can not say enough good things about this story! **Extremely** well written and original. A bad ass Paul that will require multiple panty changes and a Bella you will adore. There are 15 long chapters posted and I have loved every single word. As soon as I finished, I went back and reread it. It's that good! And although, it's not complete, I have a feeling it just may end up being one of my all-time favorites.

**Chapter Seven**

Like all good intentions, Bella's were met with hurdles and stumbling blocks. On the forefront was her meager rapport with Paul. The fact that they barely knew each other led to two weeks passing, and coming up with a plausible reason to visit Paul again seemed futile.

Furthermore, trying to explain why exactly she cared so much was pointless. She couldn't, but she thought about him more than she wanted to admit. Perhaps, on that night weeks ago, when Paul's world came tumbling down around him, she had recognized her own broken heart, swirling in the depth of those grief-stricken eyes of his.

Bella didn't spend as much time visiting the tiny reservation on the coast of Washington as she once had. Not since Jacob had imprinted on a beautiful girl named Abby. She knew that Jake felt like he was betraying her in some way, even though that was the farthest thing from the truth. In Jake's eyes, it didn't really matter what Bella thought, because he had basically promised her the world if she would only _try_ to give him a chance.

However, no matter how close to perfect her best friend truly was, Bella never could bring herself to love him the way he wanted and deserved. She supposed she got that from her father – the inability to let go of things that were no longer hers. That's what it all came down to in the end – Edward Cullen. Dreams of his unlikely return died out and were buried long ago, but the damage he left behind, she wasn't sure that would ever go away.

Edward's departure from her life had been almost as unexpected and abrupt as his arrival, destroying a young, impressionable girl's trust and belief in love. And despite how childishly temporary most people viewed high school crushes, his short lived presence in her life had left unfading wreckage at the heels of his desertion.

Those detrimentally prepared words that he had so maliciously spat at her that rainy, September night, after leading her deep into the forest, would forever be remembered. Desperate, unanswered prayers were babbled into the dark as she lay sobbing and shivering on the cold, saturated terrain, until warm arms lifted and carried her back to the loving embrace of her father.

In the aftermath, she shut out everything and everyone, clinging to the memories of the vampire family she had grown to love and hold dear in her heart. Unwilling to forget or even allow the smallest detail to fade left her hiding somewhere deep in her mind, where she could pretend they were still there with her. That was until Jacob came along and brought her back from the brink with his gracious heart and sunny smiles.

It all began when she came across a lump of junkyard bound metal that turned out to be her saving grace. Scraping for pennies, along with patience and hard work ended up being one of the best decisions she had ever made. Not only did they restore the hunk of junk to a near show room quality pair of motorcycles, but in the process, with gentle urging and warm hugs, Jacob brought back the girl he thought he just might have lost forever. A feat that seemed almost impossible in the beginning.

When all of her other friends turned their backs, thinking she had finally fallen off her rocker, or Bella herself, shut them out, Jacob stood strong by her side. As far as she was concerned, Jake had already given her everything she wanted and more than she deserved – his friendship and her life back.

None of it had been one-sided, though, and when Jacob finally phased and joined an overgrown pack of wolves, Bella returned the favor by being there for him. Rightfully so, Jacob had been furious with her when he found out what Edward Cullen really was – his mortal enemy. A body caught by surprise and overwhelmed by a rush of hormones turned anger into full-on rage within seconds.

Through it all, she never even considered walking away, choosing instead to let him get it all out, because deep down she recognized that it was fear of what could have happened that fanned his animosity. Not that she wanted to be his whipping post, but she knew that she hadn't been a bundle of sunshine during her darkest days either. Besides, friendship meant more than just being there during the good times, it meant braving the bad times as well.

Peculiarly, when Jacob decided that Bella needed her ass handed to her, it had been Paul who had talked him down. Why he did it, she couldn't say because he never spoke to her unless absolutely necessary, and while he'd never been nasty with her, she had always felt that he didn't like her very much. Whether it was because she had dated his rival or something else entirely, she didn't know.

More than once, she had felt his piercing stare boring down on her only to find his head tilted as dark, astute eyes watched her from across the room. And on the rare occasion that Rachel was around, she'd even called him out on his rude behavior, but Paul being...Paul, had just shrugged her off and continued his Bella watching. Almost as if he were trying to figure something out.

Soon enough, however, Jacob let it go, redirecting his bitterness from Bella onto the Cullens, stating, "Those fucking leeches knew better than to get involved with an innocent high school girl."

Before long, friendship turned into an unrequited desire for more. Jacob was no quitter, though, and was convinced that given time, she would feel the same way. For that reason, when another wolf fell victim to imprinting, Jacob had waged war against those shatterproof steel shackles that enslaved him to a complete stranger. But it had been a losing battle from the start. Even the mightiest warrior couldn't win against fate.

In the end, all he had achieved was hurting himself as well as Abby, leaving her feeling more like an intruder than part of the pack. So, when he'd finally laid the gauntlet down and given up, Bella squeezed him as tight as she could and told him to be happy. Because, to her, nobody deserved it more than him.

Since then, she had carefully placed some distance between herself and Jake, wanting to give his new romance room to grow, knowing that he would never ask. Bella was delighted for the two of them and in her opinion, Abby and Jake were perfect for each other, but Abby's justifiable wariness was clear as day.

As a result of being pushed away for so long, Abby was skeptical of Bella, of her presence in Jacob's life, maybe even a little jealous, but only because she didn't really know where she stood at this point. Bella was a stunningly beautiful girl and as far as Abby could tell, completely clueless to that fact. On top of that, Jacob adored her, along with most of the pack.

Trusting that Abby would quickly find her place among the wolves, Bella had taken it upon herself to take a few steps back. It was that decision that led to her current predicament.

On the few occasions she allowed herself to visit Jacob, Paul was never around. Of course, she had hoped to bump into him, but that never happened. And being a mere acquaintance didn't grant her the freedom to just show up at his home uninvited. So, feeling certain that he wouldn't want anybody interfering, she stayed away, listening and catching bits and pieces of conversations in relation to the jilted wolf.

Scheming and eavesdropping gained her some valuable information, but knowledge came at a price. It's penalty was the knowledge itself. Through Jake and the Pack, she learned just how unhealthily Paul was dealing with everything. He was drinking heavily and they had good reason to believe he had moved on to more hardcore, mind numbing alternatives.

But for now, all she could do was encourage his pack mates to reach out to him and wait for the right opportunity. Something told her that as long as he had just _one_ person on his side, he would be okay. He _would_ get through this.

Unfortunately, Charlie was the one to give her exactly what she had been waiting for one night, as he came in from working a late shift. Bella had just powered down the television and was in the process of shutting off the lights when she heard the key working the lock.

"Hey, Bells. You're up late. How was your day?" Charlie asked as he walked in, removing his belt.

"Good. Yours?" She answered, leaning against the kitchen counter as she filled a glass with water.

"Alright, I guess," he said as he shrugged off his jacket. "Had to pick up Jake's friend for drunk and disorderly. He was causing a ruckus at a party up in Port Angeles. Billy probably won't be too ha-..." He was cut off before he finished.

"Paul!?" Bella asked, knowing immediately who that friend was. "Damn it, dad...Sorry," she apologized when his brow raised and his expression turned to one of confusion. Bella rarely ever cursed and out of respect, never in front of the chief. "It's not your fault. It's just that he's got a lot going on right now."

"I didn't realize you two were all that close," her father questioned, not understanding her protective behavior in the least.

"We're not. Not really. I...Can you take me to see him?" She was at a loss for words, unsure how to explain what was going on.

He began shaking his head immediately. "I really don't think that's a good idea. You shouldn't be hanging around with boys like that, Bells." He was taken off guard, suddenly, by the slight narrowing of her eyes and her sharp intake of breath.

"Dad! He's not a troublemaker," she huffed. "And you always taught me to never judge someone until I've walked a mile in their shoes."

Charlie held up his hands in defense. "I don't mean to sound insensitive here, but you're my little girl and my main concern." He said sternly, but his tone was laced with a fatherly devotion that helped take some of the sting out of his words. "I know you're an adult, but this is a small town and word travels fast around here. And I don't want you getting yourself into something you're not ready for. Sometimes having a good heart, like the one you have, can lead you places you have no business being."

Feeling guilty for snapping at her father, she walked over to where he was standing and wrapped her arms around him. "I know, Dad," she said, pulling back to look at him. "But that's not what's happening here. He needs somebody...us, maybe." She looked him in the eye, begging him to help her. "He's all alone. No family or close friends. And he just found out his girlfriend was cheating on him with his best friend." Her sad face tugging at her father's heart strings.

Charlie blew out a long whistle. "Alright." He kissed the top of her head. "Come on and I'll see what I can do." He gave in, unable to resist her pleading eyes, pulling his coat back on and grabbing his keys.

That was something Charlie could sympathize with. Not so much the infidelity, but the loss of someone special. He'd never really gotten over Renee. Even after all of these years. Their biggest mistake was falling in love so young, too young, and rushing into starting a family before they were ready. That's what led to their downfall. But even after all of the fighting and screaming and words that can never be taken back, he still loved her to this day. And probably always would.

Years after Charlie and Renee divorced, they were finally able to put their hurt feelings behind them and build a very close friendship. In fact, later when Renee remarried, they were in such a good place that Charlie flew out to Arizona to attend the wedding. And it stung. Deep, _deep_ down.

But more than that, as he watched her commit herself another man with happiness lighting her beautiful, gracefully aged face, he was proud of her. For being willing and able and courageous enough to give love a second chance. Sadly, her second marriage didn't last much longer than the first, but at least she had tried.

Charlie wasn't sure he would ever move on. What would be the point, she was_ it_ for him. With youthful innocence, he had handed his heart over to her back in high school and never took it back. If anything could be said for Charlie Swan, it was that his love and loyalty were fierce and endless. That trait was now a part of his daughter's genetic makeup.

He saw that fiery allegiance more and more these days. Edward. Jake. Renee and himself. And judging by the incontestable, steadfast look covering her face and narrowing her eyes, Paul was about to get a substantial taste of what the Swan's were made of.

As much as the Chief wanted to shelter his only daughter, and most valued asset, from all the cruelty and evil in the world, he still chose to help her.. Because he trusted her. If Bella thought Paul was worth her time and effort, then he would support her until Paul proved otherwise. He had taught his daughter to never judge anyone just as she'd been quick to remind him.

Renee's father had never afforded him that luxury and didn't hesitate to voice his opinion every chance he got. Back then, Charlie was just starting his job on the Force, a small town deputy going nowhere and that made him the scum of the earth in her dad's book, and no amount of trying to prove otherwise was going to sway his opinion. His constant interference was just one more thing in a long list that led to the break up of their home.

When they pulled up to the station, Bella rushed up the stairs and through the doors, only then stopping to wait for her dad to catch up. Charlie walked in front of her, leading her through a couple of doors and down a short hallway to the cell where Paul was being kept. Just before they rounded the corner, Charlie told her that he was going to talk to a few people and he would be back soon.

Bella took a deep breath, feeling more than a little ridiculous now that she was there. _Would he be upset with her for interfering? Why exactly was she there? _It was too late to worry about such trivial things, however, so instead, she channeled her courage, rounding the bend and making her presence known.

She found him sitting with his head in his hands, appearing to be deep in thought. "Paul?" She called quietly. Timidly. Uncertain what to expect.

His head snapped up abruptly at the sound of her voice before falling back against the blocks behind him, shame marring his features. Scrubbing his hands roughly over his face, he stood, turning his back to her, wanting nothing more than to disappear.

"What are you doing here, Bella?"

**A/N: **

Hope you liked this longer chapter! Would love to hear your thoughts!


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